That was when Cam Cameron and crew took a flyer on an athletic Somoan out of Utah named Paul Soliai in the fourth round.

Soliai needed three seasons to blossom, learning the position that serves as the linchpin to a 3-4 defense. When Soliai finally got his footing he started dominating in the second-half of 2010, and his play earned him the team’s franchise tag, which comes with a $12.47 million salary in 2011.

While many people will argue Soliai’s being overpaid for one good season, it’s clear they don’t understand what went into that decision. Outside of quarterbacks, nose tackle is the hardest position to find in the NFL. That’s why when a team has a good one they don’t let him go.

If the Dolphins had let Soliai hit the free agent market he would have been overpaid because of the supply and demand effect, and the Dolphins would have weakened the strength of their team.

(Here’s a disclaimer: I’ll be co-hosting my own show on WQAM (560AM) this Saturday from 12-3 p.m. and it’ll feature plenty of Dolphins and draft talk.)

Locking Soliai up for one more season is a good move, a smart move because it keeps him in Miami, and doesn’t force the Dolphins to start all over with the core of their defensive line. But most importantly, it forces Soliai to recreate the magic he had in the second half of 2011 if he wants to continue to get paid.

If Soliai can recreate what he did in 2011 he could be looking at a contract that pays him roughly $40 million over five seasons.

Next season will show us if Soliai’s a one-year wonder who made a mad dash for the cash, or if he’s finally blossoming, and is ready to eat centers for lunch at about 1 p.m. ever Sunday. With the 30 percent rule out of the way the Dolphins can now easily lock him into a long-term deal during the season, if he earns it.

However, that doesn’t mean the Dolphins shouldn’t address the nose tackle position in the 2011 draft, which features the deepest crop of defensive line talent in a decade.

If there was ever a season for the Dolphins to invest an early pick in a nose tackle, using a third or fourth round pick to select someone to groom for the future it’s now because players like North Carolina’s Marvin Austin, Baylor’s Phil Taylor, USC’s Jurrell Casey, Clemons Jarvis Jenkins, Hampton’s Kenrick Ellis, South Florida’s Terrell McClain, Mississippi’s Jerrell Powe, Notre Dame’s Ian Williams could serve as insurance.

Austin was clearly one of the standouts at the NFL combine, and his approach to his suspension from UNC impressed me.

Ellis is a local product who began his career at South Carolina before ending up at Hampton. He produced 94 tackles and two sacks playing the nose tackle spot last season for the same MEAC program that produced Kendall Langford. While there are some character concerns, Eliis’ size (6-4, 330 pounds), girth, athleticism and mean streak makes him a prospect worth exploring.

That position takes time to learn – as Soliai showed – and providing that player an early start could be beneficial to the Dolphins long term. It would also be ideal to give Soliai someone other than Chris Baker to compete with for playing time.

This regime has invested a draft pick at every position but nose tackle during their three year tenure. Well, if there was ever a time to do so it’s now.

Reminded me of the Simpsons where Smithers gets stung by a bee. Dr. Nick sees him lying in a crumpled heap outside the hospital going into anaphalactic shock, and says “Holy smokes, you need booze!” and throws a handful of change at him.

Thanks…haven’t really gone anywhere. Just a lot busier than normal. I haven’t had much time to review the draft boards like I normally do either. I do like Torrey Smith though…a real option if we trade back.

I doubt he’ll still be there…but there’s a supersmall chance that Julio Jones will be around at 15. He will immediately take what we already have to the elite level. There’s all kinds of ways to manipulate our talents with BMarsh, Hartline, and Bess already available. Julio’s a perfect combo of strength and speed…not to mention the kind of blocking kudos we’ll have with both he and Brandon steamrolling players to the outside. Can you imagine some of the extra yards our running backs could get with both of them removing 2nd tier tacklers?

“Sparano is back at the helm. That alone should cultivate a good deal of skepticism amongst the fan base. …I take the opposite view (of why we should supposedly be optimistic). Let’s be critical and wary until they give us a reason to think otherwise. Results should drive our impressions, not blind, irrational hope.”

I’m sorry but we don’t need a NT in the third or fourth round!!
Are you kidding me? Starks and McDaniel can fill in for Soliai if something were to happen. I can’t believe someone would say we need to draft a NT in the early rounds……We need offensive talent, not a NT. Our D line is STACKED!!

Hey Howie, it’s true the current CBA is extended for one week. It is set to expire on 3/11. Their is a media blackout to the negotiations but we would have to assume that this is somewhat positive. Afterall, talking is better than not talking.

I saw Kaep is in Tier 5, but the list is alphabetical, not by rank, so he’s not necessarily 46, just somewhere between 41 and 50. I know it’s a fine distinction, but I believe it’s an important one.

Also, I saw he’s got my man DJ Williams listed in Tier 8, which puts him right into the middle of the 3rd round, i.e. Dolphins territory. He moved Jordan Cameron (TE) into Tier 9 though, based on his combine performance, and I’m a little skeptical of that because the kid is so raw. Great athlete, no question, and he’ll draw Jimmy Graham comparisons because he was a basketball player. But he looks like a good 6th round project to me – I’d rather take DJ Williams as an immediate impact guy, and if Cameron is available late I’d pick him up for development to later squeeze out Fasano.

RockyMtn, there is no guarantee that we’ll have McDaniel he’ll be a FA and I don’t think he’ll work cheap seeing that his pal Soliai just cashed in. However, that being said, I still don’t think we need to draft any D-linemen, There is still enough quality and depth there even without McD even though he’s a good player.

Tyrod is everything you want in a quarterback, with the exception of “accuracy”. I’m a huge Hokie fan and think he’d be an exceptional 5th round risk, but I wouldn’t want to take him before that. Maybe the 4th, but no earlier. He has the X factor and has some Michael Vick brilliance, along with TREMENDOUS work ethic and leadership. I’m just not certain his accuracy is tight enough to make the throws at the professional level. His height is also a factor.

I deal in a retail environment, and I’ve had to deal with a couple of confrontational a-holes that deserved to get jacked up, but alas, I have a job and a license to protect, and therefore am powerless to act as I would like to. It has to be one of the most frustrating things about my job, taking crap from people. It’s brutal!

I practice in a law firm that is captive to a major insurance carrier. I do personal injury defense and medical malpractice defense work primarily. I hear you about dealing with clients who should deserved to get jacked up. It is no different in my line of work. In some ways it gets kind of amplified especially when you are dealing with large dollar values at stake as well professional licenses. Ugh, it has been a brutal few days.

I was bummed about Shockey as well. As for QB, I realize he is cocky and and has a super-sized ego but I like Cam, I know many were turned off by him (myself included) at the combine. But he’s a freak of nature and if by some chance we could get him without having to trade up I say go for it. Okay, back to reality knowing the chances of that happening or slim and none, hubby has me convinced Kaep is the man for the Fins. I like Locker but think he’ll be gone and we don’t have a shot. McElroy is lightyears ahead of Ponder — I would pass on Ponder…..McElroy is very good and super smart.

Im hearing you guys on the work thing but for me its the exact opposite… Winter was brutal this year and painfully slow but now its picking up bigtime and I cant wait to get out there tomorrow and do it again… I’ll probably be begging for a break come the middle of june when its 110deg but with the next winter fast approaching I wont be able to let up till about December.

Walker
March 4, 2011 at 7:58 pm
I wouldn’t be pizzed with Kaep, Locker, or Ponder. Watch us take Mallet

Walker That’s funny bro, but how about we don’t take any QB’s and draft 2 or 3 DE’s and a NT, and an ILB, and another 6′5″ WR with lead in his shoes and shiit for brains, and then a TE who can stretch the seam as long as he gets 5.45 seconds to do it, and then drops the ball anyway!

I figured you for a lawyer from our few conversations. I have to admit I am too. I figured you more of the corporate – transactional type. Insurance – defense –yuck!!! I didn’t have Pig pegged as such.

A lot of pressure in ins. def. You not only need to do the usual pleadings and correspondence, go to court, depositions, etc. but then you have all the periodic reports to the adjusters, it’s much more work than Plailntiff P.I.

The reporting requirements are just freaking crazy. All the clients and adjusters are in CYA mode all the time. Trying the cases is the fun part, it is all that non-sense leading up to it that just drives me mad.

It’s insane….some of them have several pages of reporting requirements that are non-sensical and an absolute waste of time. Yet, you need to make sure you bill whatever the firm says you should and then some. It’s all about CYA – efficient it is not. I agree with you, going to depositions, Mediation, Trial is the best part. Reviewing depos, records, etc. and putting together a case against someone is fun. However, preparing 45 day reports, depo reports, Mediation reports, pre-trial reports, etc. is the stuff that is draining.

I checked out your QB tier. You are higher on Dalton than I am. I think he is a good but not great prospect. You are lower on Mallet than I am. I know there are some personality issues with him but he has the best arm in the draft and he can flat out throw. He makes me nervous but I would not be upset if we drafted him. Here is my tier:

1. Gabbert
1A. Newton.

Those 2 guys are the elite of the QBs in this draft. Not sure we have a shot at them.

2. Locker. 4 year starter, tremendous athlete, made his team better single handedly but has mechanical issues to work out.

3, Mallet. Don’t like his personally but love the arm. He is also probably the most pro-ready QB in the draft.

3A. Kaepernick. His throwing motion scares me a little bit but he is a tremendous athlete but I don’t think he is pro-ready.

Guys who I don’t like:

Ponder. Too weak of an arm and injury history.
Stanzi. Too many turnovers, looks like Henne 2.0

Just like you Pig I am not a QB expert and these are just my opinions.

Yeah marino, about a month or so ago I was stressed… Sitting home 3 out of 5 days gets to suck after a while and then you start to see no end in sight but yet the bills keep coming. Good thing Ive got a s**t load of customers… Now its time to start saving up for next winter and I already picked up 3 new accounts in the past 2 weeks but lost one cause the nice lady died…
GO PHINS!!!

Gigi,
I’d be upset if we picked Ponder or Mallet at #15 but if we traded down, way down, or used the obtained 2nd I wouldn’t be upset with either. It’s competition and I’m sure you’re going to love me for this but, Henne’s probably starting

I hope to God they do not pick Mallett or Ponder at 15!!! I agree at a much lower pick not too bad but I’m not crazy about either. Will Sparano turn Mallett into the King of Checkdowns replacing Henne? I think Mallett has a bigger personality than Henne and might just say f-u and throw all over the place. He’s like a wild horse. Ponder? I don’t know, you’re asking a UM alum so I can’t give a fair opinion of him although I will say he looked great against the Gators (that was awesome) but I don’t know if he can be consistent. I am a realist and know chances are good Henne starts unless they bring in a top QB through FA (doubtful). I’ll be drinking heavily while tailgating if that is the case….I’ll be so numb that I won’t mind what happens during the game.

Ahhhhh, it’s good to know I have attorney friends here who would give their boy some pro-bono advice if ever needed. Then again, seeing you here all the time makes me realize public defender would be the way to go

I saw a tweet from Omar earlier today on this page that said the Dolphins have been studying up on Nathan Enderle. Why, so we can have two Thigpens? Another Shrimp. Maybe they think he’ll go undrafted.

Soliai is going to make 12.5 mil, he better be in the back field every play and end the season with 8 sacks. Overpaid is not the word for what he is making. I do not thonk he is on board with the PU LOL!!!!

I would love to get a NT in this draft but it is way down the list and we only got 7 picks and no 2nds as of right now. I just do not see it in the cards unless they believe they have fixed the Oline already ( man I hope not).

OMAR KELLY was unsuccessful at achieving his childhood dream to become a super hero, so he figured he'd do the next best thing and become a journalist who fights against injustice, and searches for truth. After being bored to death reporting news and covering politics, he switched to sports.
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IZZY GOULD joined the Sun Sentinel in Feb. 2012 as a Senior Sports Reporter on the Miami Dolphins beat. He came to South Florida fresh off covering the University of Alabama football program, including its 2011 national championship team. More